CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Police at the Misamis Oriental town of Binuangan repelled a predawn attack by the New People’s Army (NPA) Sunday, wounding four police officers.
An undetermined number of NPA guerillas attacked the police station at around 3 a.m. but the policemen held their ground and fought back, said Superintendent Lemuel Gonda, Philippine National Police-Region 10 (PNP-10) spokesperson.
Lasting three hours, the attack wounded Senior Inspector Dante Hallazgo, SPO1 Ramonito Zambas, PO3 Alberto Bernadas and PO1 Joshua Satur. They were hit by shrapnel when an M-203 rifle grenade was thrown in their direction, Gonda said.
The rebels retreated using two hijacked trucks towards the direction of the uplands.
“The NPA terrorists failed on their attack on the police station and failed to get the firearms and retreated to the hinterlands,” Gonda said.
The injured cops were immediately brought to Northern Mindanao Medical Center (NMMC) for treatment. The provincial government will pay for their hospitalization, said Capitol spokesperson Nicole Managbanag.
Gonda said an undetermined number of rebels were killed or wounded during the gun battle.
The Army’s Fourth Infantry Division (4ID) said the attack was already expected.
“That is expected that they will undertake terror attacks in Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon to relieve the pressure it is experiencing in Surigao del Sur,” said Maj. Gen. Ronald Villanueva, 4ID chief. “It is believed that important CPP-NPA-NDF personalities are being withdrawn to safer areas.”
On Thursday, two ranking NPAs were killed in an encounter with soldiers in Surigao del Sur. (PNA)
